Reflective decals are used by most states to validate on a year-by-year basis automobile license plates, and for other purposes. Typically, a decal is made from conventionally available reflective material (such as acrylated urethane retroflective film), and the individual decals are individually glued to a decal carrier in order to be sent in the mail. This procedure is not as efficient as desired.
According to the present invention, a method of making reflective decals, particularly for automobile license plates, is provided which is highly mechanized, and results in the quick and accurate production of the decals in an effective manner, and allows them to be readily applied to individual carriers by conventional automated labeling machines (e.g. blow-on techniques).
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method of making reflective decals comprises the following steps: (a) Moving in a given direction a first web of reflective material comprising a reflective face stock layer, a first adhesive layer, and a first liner layer, the first adhesive layer sandwiched between the reflective face stock and first liner layers. The first web is typically commercially purchased reflective film, such as an acrylated urethane retroreflective film available from Fasson under the trademark "FASIGN" 7500 series, or available from 3M under the trade designation "SCOTCHLITE" Reflective Sheeting 5330. (b) Applying a second adhesive layer to the moving first web first liner layer, and applying a second liner layer to the second adhesive layer to produce a second web. (c) Moving the second web in a given direction. (d) Printing the moving second web reflective face stock to provide indicia thereon. (e) Drying the printed indicia. (f) Die cutting the printed second web to separate a matrix containing reflective stock, first adhesive, first liner, and second adhesive surrounding printed decals, the decals spaced from each other and connected by the second liner. (g) Removing the matrix material from association with the decals, and second liner to produce a third web containing the decals spaced along the second liner. And (h) applying the decals from the third web to a carrier so that the second layer of adhesive affixes the decals to the carrier.
There may also be the further steps, between steps (g) and (h) of taking up the third web and subsequently letting off the third web and applying the decals to a carrier by blow-on techniques (e.g., using a Fasson Mark VI labeler). Step (d) may be practiced by printing with UV curable ink in which case step (e) is practiced using a UV dryer, and it is also desirable, between steps (e) and (f), to coat the printed reflective face stock with overprint varnish (such as a scuff resistant UV curable overprint varnish) and then drying it (e.g., UV drying the varnish).
Step (b) is typically practiced by applying a 1.5 mil polyester liner as the second liner. Step (d) is practiced to apply indicia indicating a year to the second web, and also typically by applying consecutive numbers to the second web.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of making reflective decals is provided comprising the following steps: (a) Moving in a given direction a first web of reflective material comprising a reflective face stock layer, a first adhesive layer, and a first liner layer, the first adhesive layer sandwiched between the reflective face stock and first liner layers. (b) Applying a second adhesive layer to the moving first web first liner layer, and applying a second liner layer to the second adhesive layer to produce a second web. (c) Moving the second web in a given direction. (d) Printing the moving second web reflective face stock with UV ink to provide indicia thereon. (e) UV drying the printed indicia. (f) Die cutting the printed second web to separate a matrix containing reflective stock, first adhesive, first liner, and second adhesive surrounding printed decals, the decals spaced from each other and connected by the second liner. (g) Removing the matrix material from association with the decals, and second liner to produce a third web containing the decals spaced along the second liner. And (h) taking up the third web into a roll.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of making automobile license plate reflective decals is provided using a web comprising a reflective face stock, a first adhesive layer, a first liner, a second adhesive layer, and a second liner, by the following steps: (a) Printing the web reflective face stock to provide indicia thereon. (b) Drying the printed indicia. (c) Die cutting the printed web to separate a matrix containing reflective stock, first adhesive, first liner, and second adhesive surrounding printed decals, the decals spaced from each other and connected by the second liner. (d) Removing the matrix material from association with the decals, and second liner to produce a second web containing the decals spaced along the second liner. And (e) applying the decals from the second web to a carrier so that the second layer of adhesive affixes the decals to the carrier.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an effective automated method for making reflective decals, typically for automobile license plates. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.